Display rack for silverware display cases



March 18, 1941.

J. D. SHAW DISPLAY RACK FOR SILVERWARE DISPLAY GASES Filed Aug. 21, 1940Patented Mar. 18, 1941 PATENT OFFICE DISPLAY RACK FOR SILVERVVAREDISPLAY SES John D. Shaw, Meriden, Conn, assigncr to InternationalSilver Company, Meriden, 001111., a corporation of New JerseyApplication August 21, 19%, Serial No. 353,447

7 Claims.

This invention relates to display racks for silverware display cases andthe like.

One object of the invention is a novel and improved rack for supportingsilverware display cases in a manner most effectively to display theware.

A further object of the invention is a rack of the above indicatedcharacter which is characterized by its simplicity in construction andassembly and the economy with which it may be manufactured on a quantityproduction basis.

Further objects of the invention will hereinafter appear.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to theaccompanying drawing forming a part of this application,

wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a rack embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the rack; and

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, the invention is illustrated in connectionwith a display case for displaying table flatware, the main body of thecase being indicated at l, and the lid being indicated at 2, which ishinged at 3 to the rear of the main body I.

The rack is formed of five elements, comprising a pair of base supports4, a retaining plate 5, and a pair of lid clips or holders 6. Each-ofthe elements 4 is formed of a single piece of wire having a bottomportion I, an upper portion 8 spaced from and disposed at an acute angleto the portion 1, a rear upright part 9, and a front substantiallyvertical or upright part [0. The part II] is formed substantially atright angles to the portion l, and at its upper end it is bent over anddropped downwardly to form a seat H at the juncture with the portion 8.The end of the portion 8 is firmly fastened to the upright part 9 in anysuitable manner, as for example by welding, and the part 9 is bentforwardly at I6 and provided at its upper end with a portion 9 whichextends forwardly at an obtuse angle to the upright part 9. Each of theelements 6 is also formed of a single piece of wire with the upper endthereof bent over to form two short right-angularly disposed parts I2and Hi. The intermediate member or retaining plate 5 is formed of sheetmetal having its upper and lower edges reinforced by peening over theedge thereof, as indicated at M. The ends of this intermediate retainingmember 5 have their edges bent or rolled over to form sockets It for thereception of the wire parts 6 and 9.

The main body portion l of the display case rests upon the portions 8 ofthe base elements 4, with the lower front edge of the main body Iresting against the seats ll formed at the junctures between thevertical portions I 9 and inclined portions 8. The lid 2 of th displaycase is retained in the open position by the elements 6, theright-angularly formed portions I2 and [3 of the members 6 engaging thefront or free edge of the lid to hold it in the open position. The wiresupport portions 8 are given an inclination to the portions I such thatwith the portions i resting upon a fiat supporting surface the body I ofthe display case is supported at the desired angle with the rear part ofthe case elevated up above the level of the front part. Similarly, theportions 9' of the upright parts 9 are bent as at iii to form thedesired holding angle for the lid 2. In the particular embodiment shownth angle of the portion 9 with respect to the portion 8 is slightly lessthan a right angle, whereby the lid 2 is supported in a positionsubstantially at right angles to the main body i. Each of the elementsof the assembly rack has its parts all formed in coplanar relation, andaccordingly the four elements may be packed in a flat compact packagefor storage and shipment. The rack may be assembled or disassembled withthe greatest facility. To assemble the rack for display purposes it isonly necessary to insert the retaining plate over the inclined uprightportions 9' of the base element, the bends l6 between the portions 9'and 9 serving as stops for limiting the downward telescoping movement ofthe retaining plate 5 upon the base element. With the elements 4 and 5thus assembled the display case is positioned upon the base elementswith the bottom thereof resting upon the portions 8 and the front edgesthereof engaging the seats H. With the display case thus resting uponthe base elements, the lid 2 is opened to the desired angle and theholding and retaining elements 6 are then inserted over the lid tooccupy the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 with. the lower ends of theelements 6 firmly held in the sockets [5 which form holding andretaining sockets for both the base and upper elements. Preferably theparts of the wire elements which engage the display case are providedwith a fabric protective covering ll. Likewise a similar fabric coveringis provided on the portions 1 and H) of the base elements and the lowerparts of the portions 9. The forming of the elements 4 out of slenderwire so as to form the closed coplanar figures T, 8, 9, ID with theseats H, together with the retaining plate 5 results in a firm structurenotwithstanding the slenderness of the wire, and the weight of the caseresting upon the rack and against the seats ll, assisted by the angleparts 9', tends to retain the elements 4 in parallel planes at alltimes.

I claim:

1. In a rack for displaying cases for silverware and the like, a pair ofbase elements each formed of a single piece of wire having a bottomsupporting part, an upper part disposed at an angle thereto for engagingthe bottom of a display case, a front upright part forming with theupper part a seat, and a rear upright part fastened to the upper partand having a forwardly extending angularly disposed retaining portion atits upper end, a pair of lid retaining wire elements having their upperends formed to hold the front edge of the lid, and a common retainingplate spacing said elements and having their ends rolled to form socketsfor the reception of the forwardly extending retaining portions of thebase elements and said lid holding elements.

2. In a rack for displaying cases for silverware and the like, a pair ofbase elements each formed of a single piece of wire having a bottomsupporting part, an upper part disposed at an angle thereto for engagingthe bottom of a display case, a front upright part forming with theupper part a seat, and a rear upright part fastened to the upper partand having a forwardly extending angularly disposed retaining portion atits upper end, a pair of lid retaining wire elements having their upperends formed to hold the front edge of the lid, and a common retainingplate spacing said elements and having their ends rolled to form socketsfor the reception of the forwardly extending retaining portions of thebase elements and said lid holding element, each of said wire elementshaving its parts all disposed in the same plane.

3. In a rack for silverware display cases and the like, a pair of baseelements formed of wire, each of said elements comprising a closedfigure of increasing heighth from the front to the rear, the upper sideof the figure having a bend formed at right angles thereto at the frontend to form seats for the display case, with the rear upright parts ofthe figure having the upper portions thereof bent forwardly at an obtuseangle, a pair of upper lid holding elements formed of wire and anintermediate retaining plate having the ends rolled around to formsockets for the reception of said portions of the base and the upperelements.

4. In a rack for silverware display cases and the like, a pair of baseelements formed of Wire, each of said elements comprising a closedfigure of increasing heighth from the front to the rear, the rearupright parts of the figure extending beyond the figure and having theends thereof bent forwardly at obtuse angles, a retaining plate havingthe ends formed into sockets for the reception of said portions with thebends forming a stop for the plate, and means carried by the plate forholding the lid of the case.

5. In a rack for silverware display cases and the like, a pair of baseelements formed of wire, each of said elements comprising a closedfigure of increasing heighth from the front to the rear, the rearupright parts of the figure extending beyond the figure and having theends thereof bent forwardly at obtuse angles, a retaining plate havingthe ends formed into sockets for the reception of said portions with thebends forming a stop for the plate, and means carried by the plate forholding the lid of the case, including a pair of upper lid holdingelements formed of wire, with the main portions of the wire disposed insaid sockets and the upper parts formed with hook-like portions toengage the lid of the case.

6. A rack for silverware display cases and the like comprising a pair ofbase elements formed of wire, a pair of upper lid holding elementsformed of wire, and an intermediate retaining element comprising socketson the opposite sides thereof for receiving portions of the baseelements and the lid holding elements.

7. A rack for silverware display cases and. the like comprising a pairof base elements formed of wire, a pair of upper lid holding elementsformed of wire, and an intermediate retaining element comprising socketson the opposite sides thereof for receiving portions of the baseelements and the lid holding elements, each of said wire elements havingits parts all disposed in the same plane.

JOHN D. SHAW.

